Chapter 9 Bechora
I was wrapped in a tangle of limbs with the heat of my mates pressed in on either side of me.
If it weren’t for the urgent pressure in my bladder, I’d have happily stayed in the cocoon of Zypher and Gabriel’s bodies.
Instead, I carefully extracted myself from their arms and slipped into the common space of my and Shadrie’s dorm.
When I returned from relieving myself in the co-ed bathrooms, Shadrie was standing with her hip leaning against the counter of our small kitchenette as she sipped from a mug.
“I think we can safely say Thrackborne’s the one who sent you all those gifts last term,” she smiled, nodding toward a small package with a note sitting on the counter nearby. “He added a note this time.”
In all the chaos, I’d nearly forgotten my mystery benefactor from last term. I couldn’t say I was shocked to find out it was Caulder with what I’d learned about dragon shifters.
“That tracks,” I replied, walking into the kitchenette to pour myself a cup of coffee before moving to the counter and snagging the note.
It was short and to the point. Very Caulder, from what I’d come to know of him.
He’d managed to check his teaching and office hours against my class schedule and determined three days during the week we could meet for one-on-one training sessions.
The vial of restoration potion inside the package that the note had been taped to only confirmed that he had been the one sending me gifts last term.
Shadrie set her mug on the counter, her face taking on an unusual mask of seriousness. “How are you holding up? We haven’t really talked about how intense all this prophecy and doom shit has to be for you.”
I shrugged. “If I stop to really think about how it feels to have the weight of literally everything on my shoulders, I’m not sure I’ll start moving again.
I’m doing the only thing I can do right now, and just putting one foot in front of the other, and hoping like hell it all works out in the end.
If I’m being totally honest, though, I’d give almost anything to be back at home in the human realm, where my biggest struggle was having to pick up extra shifts at the club to make rent. ”
“On the bright side, you have four males ready and willing to meet your every need at least,” Shadrie grinned, slipping back into her more familiar playful demeanor. “That new one, Archer, especially seems willing to do anything you ask.”
I tilted my head back with a groan. “I almost hoped that’d been a dream. What the hell am I supposed to do with four mates?”
“I can think of a few things,” Shadrie chuckled. “But seriously, I can imagine it would be a lot for someone from the human realm. But give the wolf a chance, and not just because this whole savior of the realm thing depends on you claiming all your mates.”
I narrowed my eyes at her and frowned. “You seem oddly invested in me giving Archer a chance.”
“Not all of us get to have a harem, no matter how badly we want one, B. Besides, wolves are known for their loyalty. Once they’ve found their mate, that’s it for them. Maybe a little hanky panky inside the pack that forms around their mate, but nothing else. I’d kill for that kind of dedication.”
“I’m pretty sure you’d kill for a pack of Twizzlers…”
“Probably,” she laughed. “But my point stands.”
Our conversation dwindled into a comfortable silence until Zypher and Gabriel emerged from my bedroom.
We separated to get ready to head to the dining hall before class, meeting back up to leave Magus House together.
When we arrived, Archer was already seated at our usual table, plates piled with food sitting in front of the empty chairs as if he’d arrived early and prepared for our arrival.
“Good morning, Pack,” he beamed, standing from his seat to pull the chair next to him out for me.
I slipped into the seat, murmuring a quiet thank you as I took in the spread. It looked like he’d gathered a bit of everything, and from the look on Zypher’s face, my demon mate wasn’t exactly happy with being usurped.
“You didn’t have to do all this,” I said, glancing at Archer.
“What kind of alpha doesn’t provide for his pack?” he frowned.
His words seemed to appease whatever irritation Zypher felt about the male beating him to providing breakfast, and my demon mate slipped into the seat on my other side.
Gabriel and Shadrie rounded the table, taking seats across from us.
Gabriel’s attention seemed to flick between the goblet of blood Archer pushed toward him and the wolf himself, like he was trying to decide which one was more suspicious.
Shadrie snorted. “If this is what being part of your mate pack gets me, I’m in.”
“You’re not in,” I shot back.
“Rude. And here I thought we were besties with benefits.”
“I thought–” Archer started, his gaze bouncing between us.
“Not those kinds of benefits,” I interjected before he could finish.
“B’s hot, but she’s not my type,” Shadrie winked, “but a girl could definitely get used to her best friend’s mates, including her in the spoiling.”
Zypher chuckled and shook his head, and Archer smiled before turning his attention to Gabriel.
“You haven’t touched your meal,” he said.
Gabriel stiffened slightly. “I was about to.”
“You sure you’re not distracted? The way you keep glancing at me is starting to make it seem like you might prefer to have me for breakfast,” Archer replied, his lips curved up into a smirk.
Gabriel choked on absolutely nothing. A sharp cough tore out of him as he reached for his goblet, knocking it slightly before catching it at the last second. “That is–” He cleared his throat, eyes narrowing as a faint flush crept up his neck. “That is not what I was doing.”
Archer leaned back in his chair, looking entirely too pleased with himself. “Could’ve fooled me, pretty boy.”
“You were eyeing him rather suspiciously,” Zypher added with a grin. I could feel the amusement rolling off my demon mate.
“I assure you, I wasn’t,” Gabriel said tightly, the flush creeping from his neck into his face, turning his cheeks crimson.
Shadrie made a strangled noise that quickly turned into a laugh. “Oh, he’s flustered. I didn’t know vampires could get flustered.”
“I’m not,” Gabriel retorted, his eyes narrowing at my friend.
“You know, you don’t have to protest so much. If you want a taste, all you have to do is ask,” Archer said, leaning forward.
“I’m not–I don’t.” Gabriel sputtered. “This is ridiculous!”
I pressed my lips together, fighting a smile as I reached for my own plate. “Can we not start a war at breakfast?”
“Who said it was war?” Archer replied. “Here I thought we were discussing–”
“I swear to Selir, wolf, I will end you if you suggest you meant sleeping together,” Gabriel hissed.
Archer leaned back, one hand pressed against his chest in mock surprise. “Pretty boy, I’m shocked . Here I thought we were just working out our position in the pack, and the entire time you were thinking about another kind of position.”
Gabriel pinched his lips together, his face so red I thought for sure it might explode. Zypher nudged my knee under the table, drawing my attention to him.
“This is amusing. How long do you think before Gabriel breaks?” he chuckled, waggling his brows at me.
“We should take bets,” Shadrie added. “My money’s on six months before they’re making out.”
“I’ll take that bet, Mage. Though, I suspect the wolf will break him before this month is out.” Zypher grinned.
“I’m thrilled you find my irritation amusing enough to bet on, but you’re both wrong,” Gabriel deadpanned.
“Oh?” Shadrie asked. “So, somewhere in the middle then? You know, I’m not sure it’s fair for you to join in on the bet. You could totally fix the outcome.”
I could practically see the steam pouring from Gabriel’s ears as he clamped his mouth shut again.
Despite myself, a laugh slipped free. I wanted to feel bad for the position my vampire found himself in, truly I did, but he made it so easy for Archer to goad him.
More than that, the way the wolf shifter had so seamlessly slipped into our group eased something inside me.
The knowledge that he fit wasn’t something I’d known I needed until I had it.
Miles arrived in the midst of Shadrie and Zypher exchanging amused looks, while Gabriel glared at his goblet as if it held the answers to all his problems. Without a word, he slid into the chair next to Shadrie and dived head-first into the plate of breakfast waiting for him.
“Woah! You might want to slow down before you choke,” I said, eyebrows raising in alarm.
“Can’t,” he managed between shoveled bites. “I think I might be onto something, and I don’t have much time before class.”
Gabriel cleared his throat, causing Miles’ attention to snap to him just as he shot a pointed look in Archer’s direction.
“What?” Archer asked.
“Perhaps we should all discuss this later. When we don’t have an irritating wolf around,” Gabriel said.
Miles looked between them before looking at me. “It’s fine,” I sighed. “I may not be ready to complete the bond, but Archer is mine.”
Archer perked up at my words. The verbal acknowledgment of him as my mate seemed to cause him to brighten. “I am.”
Miles shook his head, casting his gaze around the crowded dining hall. “We shouldn’t talk here anyway. And I’m not actually sure I’ve found something.”
“I have to meet Caulder after my last class this evening, but we can talk after in our room,” I replied. “Archer needs to be brought up to speed anyway.”
Miles nodded and returned his attention to his plate, shoveling his food into his mouth so fast I was sure he was actually going to end up choking.
Shadrie and Zypher shifted the conversation to the day's classes, and I let the sound of them talking fade into the background as I finished my own meal and my thoughts slipped to my earlier conversation with Shadrie. She’d been right about my biggest hangup with finding out I had so many mates.
Things weren’t instant in the human realm; they took time, and kissing a lot of frogs before maybe finding one partner to spend your life with.
But I wasn’t human. I was a Starcaller. A supernatural being of legends, complete with world-saving prophecy.
Maybe it was time I stopped fighting to hold on to my human sensibilities when it came to the men meant to be mine.